Netflix's 'Beckham' documentary boosts his personal brand
'Beckham' became available on Netflix in early October
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The retired pro soccer player at the center of "Beckham" has apparently seen the popular Netflix documentary series help give his personal brand a lift.
In the wake of the show releasing on the streaming giant’s platform, hundreds of thousands of new followers have flocked to soccer legend David Beckham’s social media presence, according to recent comments from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The documentary series, which included four episodes and was directed by Fisher Stevens, became available Oct. 4.
Co-owner David Beckham, of Inter Miami CF, looks on prior to a game between Charlotte FC and Inter Miami at DRV PNK Stadium on Oct. 18, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"David Beckham is one of the biggest stars in the world, and his documentary on Netflix brought him almost 0.5 million new social media followers in a week," Sarandos said last week.
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He made the comment about Beckham gaining followers while answering an analyst question on Netflix’s third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday evening last week regarding its sports strategy. He also told listeners the company was "having a big impact on sports through the thing that we’re most great at, which is the drama of sport."
Beckham’s verified Instagram profile on Monday afternoon listed the former pro athlete as having a total of 84.5 million followers. On Facebook, his followers numbered 57 million.
David Beckham, of Los Angeles Galaxy, on the bench for the league game against DC United at RFK Stadium on Aug. 9, 2007 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images / Getty Images)
FOX Business reached out to Authentic Brands Group seeking Beckham’s comment. Netflix did not respond to an inquiry about any potential updates to the 500,000-follower gain it reported for Beckham.
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The "Beckham" series placed highest on Netflix’s Top 10 ranking for English television for two back-to-back weeks, with it posting 11.6 million views and 54.9 million viewing hours from Oct. 9-15, according to the company. From its release to Oct. 8, Netflix said the show had 12.5 million views and 58.8 million viewing hours.
The series covers Beckham’s iconic soccer career, which ran two decades. It also touches on his personal life, including his relationship with wife and ex-Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham.
Co-owner David Beckham and wife Victoria Beckham look on prior to a game between Charlotte FC and Inter Miami at DRV PNK Stadium on Oct. 18, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"I’m grateful to my family, friends, former teammates and everyone that has been part of my story," Beckham said on Instagram when the show came out. "It’s been an incredible journey… I hope you enjoy watching."
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